Watertight cigarette and match case



Jan. 9,v 1951 E. cLAMPlTT WATERTIGHT CIGARETTE AND MATCH CASE Filed May 25, 1949 Patented Jan. 9, 1951 UNITED STATES ATEN'E OFEICE WATER/EIGHT CIGARETTE AND MATCH CASE Elmer Cla-mpitt, indianapolis, ind.

Application May 25, 1949, Serial N0. 95,329

1 Claim. 1

A primary purpose of this invention is to provide for carrying such articles, a water-tight oase which can be securely attached to the belt or the top of the bathing trunks of a swimmer.

A further important object of the invention isr to provide a water-tight case having a false bottom which can be raised to make the contents more easily accessible.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a water-tight case whereupon opening of the cover releases pin members of the cese from the belt While the case hangs therefrom, and at the same time raises the false bottom in the case to make the contents more readily accessible.

A further important object of the invention is to provide fa water-tight case incorporating the above indicated objects, which can be easily and economically manufactured.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those versed in the art from the following description of one particular form of the invention designed to carry matches and cigarettes as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. l is a view in front elevation of a case embodying the invention attached to a belt. part of the case being broken away to more clearly show the interior thereof;

Fig. 2 is a view in section on the line 2-2 in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation of the case and belt shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the case and belt with the cover in open position;

Fig. 5 is a view in section on the line 5-5 in Fig. l;

Fig. 6 is a view in front elevation of the case and belt with matches and cigarettes therein with the cover rotated 180 degrees in a clockwise direction from the position in Fig. 1;

Fig. '7 is a view in rear elevation of the top portion of the case; and

Fig. 8 is a View in detail in vertical section on an enlarged scale of the false bottom lifting means.

The same reference characters refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views.

A container I 0 is integrally formed with paral- 2 lel front and back walls II and I2 spaced a sufIicient distance apart for a cigarette to be easily slidable therebetween and semi-cylindrical end walls I3 and III. These walls are of slightly greater height than the length of a cigarette to be carried by the case. Solid cylindrical pillars I5 and I5 reinforce the end walls I3 and I4 which are spaced apart to receive a plurality of cigarettes fili therebetween in a single row between the walls II and i2. The bottom I I is flat |and at right angles to the elements forming the side walls. The container I0 terminates by an open top end I8 in a plane parallel to the bottom II.

vScrew-threaded, vertical studs I9 and 2U are embedded by their lower ends in the tops of the cylindrical pillars I5 and I6 respectively and "axially aligned therewith. Nuts 2I and 22 are screw-threadedly engaged on said stud-s I9 and 29 to move up and down thereon.

A cover 23 is formed to t over the top I8 of the container I0, including ythe tops of pillars I5 and I6. An eye 24 in one end of the cover 23 fits over the stud I9 so that the lcover' 23 is revoluble in a horizontal plane around and slidable up and down said stud I9. A hook 25 is formed in the other end of the cover 23 to fit around the stud 20 when the cover 23 is revolved to a closed position. Two horizontally disposed pins 26 and 2I are embedded in the rear edge portion 28 of the cover '23 to extend at right angles therefrom. u

An elastic gasket 29 such as rubber. is formed to fit on the underside of the cover 23 with the exception of the hook 25. The gasket 29 is fixed to the cover 23, and is further secured thereto by a plate 59 which is secured to the cover 23 by screws 30 and 3l. This plate 59, which is centered on the bottom of the cover 23, has the same contour as. but is slightly smaller in area than,

the horizontal cross-sectional yarea of the interior o1c the container IG. The under, exposed side of the plate 50 is roughened, such as by knurling, to provide a match striking surface.

While a gasket is generally more economical. its use can be eliminated by careful finishing of the connecting surfaces between the cover 23 and the container I0.

A belt attaching hook 32 is secured on the back wall I2 of the container II) with a loop 33 extending above the top I3 of the container Ifl. Holes 34 and 3K5. in the front arm and 35 and 31 in the back arm of the belt hook are aligned to receive the. pins 29 and 21 when the cover 23 is positioned over the opening I B.

A vertical partition member 38 is slidable in the vertical grooves 39 and 40 provided in the front and back Walls II and I2 respectively of the container IIJ, to have the member guided freely in vertical travel spaced from the end wall I3. A flat horizontal false bottom 4I extends to the left from the bottom of the partition member 38. This false bottom 4I substantially lls the horizontal cross-section of the container I to the left of the partition 38 but is free to be moved vertically between side walls of the container I 0.

A second false bottom l2 extends horizontally from the partition 38 toward the end wall I3 from a position on the partition at a distance from the top of the partition slightly greater than the length of a match. This horizontal false bottom 42 substantially lls the horizontal cross-section of the container IE) to the right of the partition 38 to be free to shift verticallybetween the side Walls 0f the container I0.

.A string 43 is attached to the bottom of the cover at a distancefrom the stud I9 approximately equal tothe distance of 'the partition 33 therefrom. The Vopposite end of string 43 is fixed to the partition'approximately midway between the ends of 'said partition. The 'length of the string is about two thirds the length of the vertical partition 3E.

In use, cigarettes d4 are placed on ends in the major compartment 45 and matches 46 are placed on end in the minor compartment 4l. The cover 23 is revolved suiiiciently toward an open position so that thepins Z6 and 2l are withheld from the holes *34 and 35, and 3E and 3l. The belt hook 32 is then hooked over the top of andy in the belt hook to bring the hook 25 around the stud 26. The nuts `2| and 22 arethen tightened down on the studs I9 and 52D. A watertight seal is then formed between the cover v`23, the gasket '29, and the edge portion of the opening I8. The

swimmer can then engage in water sports without -fear of 'losing the case or of wetting the cigarettes or matches.

To open thecase the nuts 2l and 22 are 'loosened on the studs IS and 20 and the cover 23 is lifted on the stud I9 and revolved from over the opening IS. This action tightens the string 43 and pulls Iup the partition 33 which in turn pulls.y

up the false bottoms 4I and 42, to raise the upper ends of cigarettes 44 and matches 46 above the opening I3 to a position where they are readily accessible. At the same time the case is released from its pinned connection with the belt 4B and can be moved.

While I have herein shown and described my invention in one form, it is obvious that structural changes may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I therefore do not desire to Ibe limited to this precise form beyond the limitations which may be imposed by the following claim.

I claim:

A water-tight case comprising a container hav- IingI vertically disposed interior side Walls and a top opening, said sidewalls having two ropposed vertical grooves therein; a cover revoluble horizontally over said opening; 'a horizontally disposed pin carriedby said cover; an inverted U- shaped hook carried by said container, said hook having holes in the iront and rear portions there'- of for receiving the pin; a movable member slidable in the vertical grooves in the side walls of the container; a false 4bottom connected to said movable member; and means actuated by rotation of the cover from a'closed position for raising the vertical member in the grooves.

ELMER CLAMPITT.

REFERENCES 'CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

'UNITED STATES PATENTS Number `Namev Date 1,155,375 Shannon Oct. 5, 1915 1,466,548 Raney Aug. 23, 1'923 1,553,066 vBurger Sept. 8, 1925 1,566,867 Hetzer et al `Dec. 22, 1925 1,587,468 Burkey et al June 1, '1926 1,642,138 Billings Sept. 13, 1927 

